<p>Has anyone heard how the budget cut backs will be handled at FSU?
I have heard rumors and wondered if anyone knew of what the "real story" consists.</p>
<p>I found this article in the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper which has no definitive answers.</p>
<p>Article published Jan 11, 2008
Universities brace for bad news
By Angeline J. Taylor
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER</p>
<p>Faculty and administrators at Florida State University are concerned that anticipated budget cuts will negatively impact the quality of education at their institution, and they're not alone.</p>
<p>Administrators at Tallahassee Community College and Florida A&M University are also concerned.</p>
<p>"Nobody's sure we're seeing the bottom of the revenue shortfalls," Bill Law, president of TCC, said. "People are getting very nervous about what's happening next year."</p>
<p>State university Chancellor Mark Rosenberg sent out the early warnings about the universities' budgets in December at the Board of Governors meeting. University administrators already cut their budgets in the fall resulting in a $65 million reduction to the state's 11 public colleges and universities.</p>
<p>However, Rosenberg forewarned stakeholders of the anticipated cuts. Now, more than a month later, the news of the second wave of budget cuts is beginning to trickle down to faculty.</p>
<p>FSU English department chairman Ralph Berry said in 22 years of working at the university, he's never seen the financial climate in this bad a shape.</p>
<p>"We're not talking about a one-time budget cut," Berry said in speculation of what is to come. "This is a cut in recurring funds — like salaries."</p>
<p>Berry admitted he didn't know what administrators at FSU had planned. He had been given permission earlier in the school year to hire at least one professor. Now, he can't.</p>
<p>"Nobody is confident that the future of FSU and future of education in this state is something they can count on," Berry said. Robert Bradley, FSU's vice president of academic affairs, said university administrators don't have much fat to trim in the budget.</p>
<p>"This time we really don't have anything in the way of reserves," he said. "These are the worst cuts that we've seen since the early '70s."</p>
<p>Rosenberg was travelling to Miami Thursday and could not be reached for comment. Bill Edmonds, spokesman for the state university system, said specific percentages or numbers haven't been requested yet.</p>
<p>"The state revenues are not keeping up," Edmonds said.</p>
<p>Now, higher education officials are just waiting to see what the impact will be. FSU stripped nearly $8.9 million from its budgets by October. FAMU cut about $2.9 million. Administrators are anticipating that similar cuts will be requested.</p>
<p>"It's really going to be devastating to FAMU," said Teresa Hardee, vice president of finance and fiscal affairs for the university.</p>
<p>Administrators at neither university had worked out the specifics on how they would make ends meet. But, in the meantime, Berry said, professors are being courted by other universities outside of the state. These universities offer merit or cost of living increases.</p>
<p>"I'm deeply worried about the direct effect this has on the quality of education," Berry said.</p>
<p>Erin Blue, from FSU's English department, is worried. She said her concerns began after hearing about additional cuts on Monday.</p>
<p>"We went through all these years of Jeb Bush — and the tree was already cut to the stump," she said. "From what we hear, it's a done deal, We don't know what to do."</p>
<p>On Friday the 18th, Crist promised changes in the budget cuts, and actually an increase in $52 million to univeristies increases in student enrollment. I was surprised. He did admit that lower property taxes would have an effect, but the article I read said that the cuts would be adjusted so that they would then offset by the rise in tuition. While this is a net break even, it doesn't allow the rise in tuition to help where they wanted it to, in hiring more prefessors and lowering class size. Not the what univeristies wanted. (Not what this parent wants.) I will look for his quotes. I do remember that he is saving money by putting a temporary freeze on NEW tuition subsidies for instate students going to an instate private school. Now the one for low income students, the access grant that ANY student of any means gets if they stay instate and go private. Although, he was not going to freeze the payments for new students going to the 4 predominately black private school, and any student already in college getting this would still receive it for next year.</p>
<p>And if I recall, he wants to increase per student funding at the K-12 level by $400.</p>
<p>In what appears to be a common theme nationwide, the Florida economy (like most other states) is slowly (if not already) slipping into a recession. </p>
<p>The florida state universities ( unlike most other state universities) have all made a minimal effort to attract oos students and the revenue that would come along with them. Additionally, the in state tuition (which is great for florida residents) is well below the average in state tuition at most highly ranked public universities.</p>
<p>At this point something will need to change. Recently, FSU has invested a lot of money into its infrastructure and has made many lasting improvements to its campus, which really helps to set it apart. As a parent, Its nice to know and good to see that FSU has made this commitment to itself. </p>
<p>In time, this initial financial concern will work itself out. Its a bit of negotiation between the state and the university. The university's job is to shoot off warnings about financial concerns, while at the same time the state government is doing its job of warning about further cuts. In the end, I believe that there will be a compromise of sorts that allows FSU to continue on its positive track.</p>
<p>The university has already frozen enrollment and in all likelihood will be required to reduce enrollment further. This will help a bit in reducing class size, but will not address the financial needs. Raising tuition is always a possibility as is greater marketing efforts to try and attract high achieving oos students.</p>
<p>I still believe that FSU offers so much and will continue to do so. They are very focused on their students and they know that as their students succeed, so will the university.</p>
<p>Crist</a> proposes $394-per-student spending hike for education -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com</p>
<p>That is the Sun Sentinal article about the increase by $52 million for new student enrollment at the University level.</p>
<p>Crist</a> seeks $1B more for schools - 01/17/2008 - MiamiHerald.com
The Miami Herald mentions the cuts in the private college grant. He is now trying to say he is not cutting education dollars, and if the property tax bill we vote on this month passes, he will find money to make up for the drop in property taxes, for a net increase.</p>
<p>from The</a> Gradebook | Tampabay.com - St. Petersburg Times and tbt* 1/17/08
After a six-hour meeting dominated by depressing budget discussion, FSU's board of trustees laid out what actions they'll likely have to take if the state cuts the university's budget by another 4 percent this year and more next year, as anticipated.</p>
<p>It's not a pretty picture: 118 faculty and 100 staff layoffs, 448 class sections reduced, enrollment reduced by 1,000, and larger classes are among the cuts discussed Friday. That means it will take longer to graduate, and faculty that don't flee this ailing state won't have as much time to do research.</p>
<p>FSU, like other state colleges, doesn't know for sure yet how much more of its base budget it will lose this year and in 2008-09. For now, there's a hiring and freshman enrollment freeze, and very little travel.</p>
<p>UF president Bernie Machen this week changed his mind and decided he won't cancel summer school, but he's facing a $16-million loss before the year ends June 30, so layoffs or other measures are likely.</p>
<p>USF this week froze hiring and travel and is looking at ways to trim its budget by 15 percent. Already, USF lost about $12-million of its budget this year and could lose another $13 to $14-million for the rest of the budget year.</p>
<p>from Tallahassee</a> Democrat - <a href="http://www.tallahassee.com">www.tallahassee.com</a> - Tallahassee, FL.
A total of 218 jobs will be eliminated. Of those, about 40 are currently vacant. A hiring freeze that was implemented in October 2007 will continue. Travel restrictions will be mandated. Departments will be restructured with the hopes of reducing administrative costs.</p>
<p>And enrollment of out-of-state students, who pay the most in tuition, could be increased. Enrollment of other students will be reduced by as much as 1,000.</p>
<p>$30M out of a $1B+ budget really is not too much.</p>
<p>Would like to get this going again. Anyone have any new news on the budget cuts? Not really fair to these kids having to make a decision by May 1, then the schools get hit with specific cuts.</p>
<p>Until the Florida Legislature comes out with a budget that the Governor will sign or not veto parts thereof (he has a line-item veto), no one will know for sure.</p>
<p>The waters are too muddy to know for sure right now. The president of FSU has said repeatedly that quality will not suffer.</p>
<p>The impact on FSU will likely be:
1. Freshman enrollment will be cut by 20%
2. Weak programs will be cut first.
3. Strong programs will be protected.
4. Expansion will slow for a while.
5. New programs will not likely be added unless they are funded.
6. There will be a strong push for programs to generate funded research.</p>
<p>I do not see these things as all bad. Sometimes in budget cut back periods the chaff is split off from the wheat and clarity returns to management.</p>
<p>Have faith.</p>
<p>Our paper today reported that the House passed its budget, and for University funding, the net effect of the tuition increase (6%) and budget cuts resulted in only a 0.5 percent decrease in univeristy funding total for all state U's combined (17 million total). The Senate passed its plan and the two versions have to be reconciled, but the paper did not reference the Senate version of University spending. I will research this. For schools like FSU, eliminating unfunded students (by the drop in Freshman of 1000 and of transfer of 500) there will be a net benefit.</p>
<p>The headlines for most of us in Florida today discuss the end of the 2008 legistative session (officially ending just after 6pm Friday), and the budget that goes to the governor for his signature. Details for education cuts/tuition increases are CONFUSING. In the scorecard used in our paper, it states that the overall budget cuts at the University level was 5.9% but then it states there is a tuition rise of 6%. I cannot tell if they are referring to the 6% rise in tuition that ALREADY took effect with spring term or not. It does not mention another 6%, and since the 6% from the sping term was part of this session, I think they are one in the same. And so far, there is still no news on whether FSU, UF and USf are planning on using the "differential tuition" that they are allowed to charge over and above the standard state tuition. </p>
<p>It appears that the tightening up that the U's have already done should keep things stable for now. And FSU appears to still be ahead of the game with the freshman enrollment cutback from 6200 to 5200 for 2008-2009. Will post any updates and assessments as they become available. For many, I think this is a small sigh of relief. </p>
<p>In my personal opionion, FSU and UF need to slowly initiate the tuition differentials to generate the needed funds to decrease class sizes, and to have the money needed to keep good professors. This is the only way UF and FSU will catch up to similar state U's in terms of quality.</p>
<p>UPDATE: The Tampa Tribune/St Peterburg Times is reporting that the 6% increase is ANOTHER increase for fall.
[quote]
For universities and community colleges, they are recommending a 6 percent tuition hike for Florida undergraduates that Crist says he will approve for fall 2008 (HB 5001).
[/quote]
Revisions</a> in FCAT are among changes in education - St. Petersburg Times</p>
<p>If tuition went up 6% with spring and will go up 6% with fall, and if the state university budget went down 5.9 percent, this is still a 6.1% net gain. This is good news for FSU.</p>
<p>UPDATE: The Orlando Sentinel is also reporting that the 6% hike is for fall. And there is still friction as the Board of Governors for the University system (who are at odds with the governor on who can set tuition rates) has an 8% proposed rate hike. They meet May 8th, and will probably back down and recommend 6%.</p>
<p>Value</a> of college tuition is called into question - USATODAY.com</p>
<p>....thought this was interesting. Haven't seen stats re: Florida public colleges, but assuming they fit the national average, then tuition only covers ~35% of university budgets. Using nominal numbers, the budget passed by the legislature cuts about $600 per student, and the tuition adds $400 per student (6% Spring 08 + 6% Fall 08). So a net loss of $200 per student or about 2%. </p>
<p>I know this is oversimplified, but thought the simplicity might bring clarity. The debate is much like the property tax cuts where counties are adding fees on services to cover lost revenue.</p>
<p>Note the comment by one expert that the model the USA Today article reported on should really include capital costs as, according to him, facilities have an impact on student learning.</p>
<p>Today's Orlando Sentinel says pertaining to budget cuts at state universities:</p>
<p>FSU not filling jobs</p>
<p>Florida State University officials say they're looking at a $17.5 million cut in the coming year. Though the school has not decided whether layoffs will be necessary, vacant positions at the Tallahassee university aren't being filled, spokeswoman Browning Brooks said.</p>
<p>FSU is the third-largest Florida university with about 41,000 students.</p>
<p>Here is UF's plan, just to give you an idea. They will be cutting faculty, staff, programs and 1000 students--I take that to be 1000 less freshman enrollment. I think they were less proactive and now have to play catch up.</p>
<p>Here is the link to the Orlando Sentinel article.
UF</a> will cut jobs, slash enrollment -- OrlandoSentinel.com</p>
<p>It will be even tougher on next years seniors. Oh my. And I suspect UCF and USF, even FIU may have to cut back on enrollment.</p>